Summary of Yoga Vashishta

Prayer
Salutations to that reality in which
all the elements, and all the
animate and inanimate beings
shine

as

if

they

have

an

independent existence, and in

which they exist for a time and
into which they merge.
Salutations to that consciousness
which

is

apparently

the

source

distinct

of

the

threefold

divisions of knower, knowledge

and known, seer, sight and seen,

doer, doing and deed.
Salutations to that bliss absolute
(the ocean of bliss) which is the
life of all beings whose happiness
and unfoldment is derived from
the shower of spray from that
ocean of bliss.

Vairagya Prakaranam
Verily, birds are able to fly with
their two wings: even so both
work and knowledge together
lead to the supreme goal of
liberation. Not indeed work alone
nor indeed knowledge alone can
lead to liberation: but, both of
them together form the means to
liberation.
He is qualified to study this
scripture (the dialogue between

Rama and Vasistha) who feels "I

am bound, I should be liberated",
who is neither totally ignorant nor
enlightened. He who deliberates
on

the

means

of

liberation

propounded in this scripture in

the form of stories surely attains
liberation

from

the

repetitive

history (of birth and death).

This

world-appearance

is

confusion, even as the blueness of

the sky is an optical illusion. I
think it is better not to let the

mind dwell on it, but to ignore it.

Neither freedom from sorrow nor
realisation of ones real nature is
possible as long as the conviction
does not arise in one that the
world-appearance is unreal. And
this conviction arises when one
studies

this

scripture

with

diligence. It is then that one

arrives at the firm conviction that
the objective world is a confusion
of the real with the unreal. If one
does not thus study this scripture,

true knowledge does not arise in

him even in millions of years.
Moksha or liberation is the total
abandonment of all vasana or
mental conditioning, without the
least reserve.
Mental conditioning is of two
types; the pure and the impure.
The impure is the cause of birth;
the pure liberates one from birth.
The impure is of the nature of

nescience and ego-sense; these

are the seeds, as it were, for the
tree of re-birth.
On the other hand, when these
seeds are abandoned, the mental
conditioning that merely sustains
the body is of a pure nature. Such
mental conditioning exists even in
those who have been liberated
while living: it does not lead to rebirth as it is sustained only by past
momentum and not by present
motivation.

Oh

Rama,

Vasanas

the
alone,

extinction
is

of

Moksha

(salvation); but the concretion of

the

mind

in

material

objects

through Vasanas is bondage.

Atman alone is which pervades as
the all full Chidakasa everywhere.
Nought else is but That. That
Jnana

is

bound

by

its

own

Sankalpa. With the liberation from

that Sankalpa, there is freedom
from the trammels of bondage.

Through right endeavours in this

life (of the world), all the ends of
human aspiration can be achieved
by following strictly the Sastraic
(or scientific) injunctions.
Such endeavours are two-fold, one
in the direction of Atman Jnana
Sastras (or the sciences relating to
divine wisdom) and the other in
the direction of (ordinary) Sastras
(treating of terrestrial wisdom).
The former is, on account of

Moksha and the latter which is not

the true Sastraic path leads to
bondage.
May

you,

Oh

Rama,

remain

immutably fixed in that state of

direct cognition, after purging
your mind of its impure Vasanas
and making it, through the pure
ones, attain the Atmic Seat, free
of all stains and pains. Destroy all
your illusory thoughts, so that
they may not resurrect again.

Develop extreme quiescence of

mind and bliss within yourself.
And

then

intelligence

through
freed

from

your
the

longing after objects, you should,

Oh Rama, commingle yourself
with Brahman, engaged in the
investigation of the significance
of the holy sentence, Tatwamasi
(That art You) and meditate upon
such identity.
What do people call happiness and
can it be had in ever-changing

objects of this world?

All beings in this world take birth
but to die, and they die to be
born! I do not perceive any
meaning in all these transient
phenomena which are the roots of
suffering and sin.
Everything

in

this

world

is

dependent upon mind, upon one's

mental attitude. On examination,
the mind itself appears to be
unreal! But we are bewitched by

it. We seem to be running after a

mirage in the desert to slake our
thirst!
To the unwise, knowledge of
scriptures is a burden; to one who
is full of desires, even wisdom is a
burden; to one who is restless, his
own mind is a burden; and to one
who has no self-knowledge, the
body (the life-span) is a burden.
Egoism comes into being in the
darkness

of

ignorance

and

flourishes

in

generates

ignorance.
endless

It

sinful

tendencies and sinful actions.

All

suffering

surely

revolves

around agoism. And egoism is the

sole cause of mental distress.
Egoism

eclipses

self-control,

destroys virtue and dissipates

equanimity.

Egoism

promotes

cravings; without it they perish.

It is this mind alone which is the

cause of all objects in the world;

the three worlds exist because of
the mind stuff. When the mind
vanishes the worlds vanish too.
Though it appears as if the craving
is for happiness, this craving leads
neither

to

happiness

nor

to

fruitfulness in this life; on the

contrary, it involves vain effort
and

leads

to

every

kind

of

inauspiciousness. It is a wonder
that sages are able to cut this with
sword of Self-Knowledge.

Shame, shame upon those who are

bound to this body, deluded by
the wine of ignorance! Shame on
those who are bound this world!
It is easy to cross a great ocean;
but to reach the other shore of
youth without being overcome by
its likes and dislikes is indeed
difficult.
Though the old man is unable to
satisfy his desires physically, the

desires themselves flourish and

grow.
All enjoyments in this world are
delusion,

like

the

lunatic

enjoyments of the taste of fruits

reflected in a mirror.
All beings in this world are tainted
with evil; all relasionships are
bondage; all enjoyments are great
diseases; and desire for happiness
is only a mirage.

One's

own

senses

are

one's

enemies; one's own mind has

become one's worst enemy.
Realization of truth is not to be
seen in anyone.
No one is happy at the prosperity
and happiness of others, nor is
compassion

to

be

found

in

anyone's heart.
Evil company is easily had, good
company is hard to come by.

None of the objects in this world

is meant to give happiness to
anyone. The mind wainly seeks to
find happiness in the objects of
this world.
Only he is happy who is free from
egoism and who is not swayed by
craving for sense-pleasure; but
such a person is extremely rare in
this world.
Indeed I do not regard him as hero

who is able to battle successfully

against a mighty army; only him I
consider a hero who is able to
cross the ocean known as the
mind and the senses.
I do not regard that as a gain
which is soon lost; only that is a
gain which is not lost - and there is
no such gain available to man in
this world, however hard he may
struggle.
The highest form of dispassion

born of pure discrimination has

arisen in your heart, O Rama, and
it is superior to dispassion born of
a circumstantial cause or an utter
disgust. Such dispassion is surely
due to grace of God. This grace
meets

the

discrimination
moment

when

maturity
at

the

of
exact

dispassion

is

generated in the heart.

As long as the highest wisdom
does not dawn in the heart, the
person revolves in this wheel of

birth and death.

Mumukshu Prakaranam
Self-effort
In this world whatever is gained is
gained only by self-effort.
Self-effort O Rama is that mental,
verbal and physical action which is
in

accordance

with

the

instructions of a holy person well

versed in the scriptures.

Self-effort is of two categories:

that of past births and that of this
borth. Fate is none other than selfeffort of of past incarnation.
There is constant conflict between
these two in this incarnation; and
that

which

is

more

powerful

triumphs.
Self-effort

which

accordance

with

is

not

scriptures

in
is

motivated by delusion.
There is no power greater than

right action in the present. Hence

one should take recourse to selfeffort, grinding one's teeth, and
one should overcome evil by good
and fate by present effort.
The lazy man is worse than a
donkey. One should never yield to
laziness

but

strive

to

attain

liberation, seeing that life is

ebbying away every moment. One
should never revel in the filth
known as sense-pleasures as a
worm revels in pus.

One who says "fate is directing me

to do this" is brainless, and the
goddess of fortune abandons him.
Hence

by

self-effort

acquire

wisdom and then realise that this

self-effort is not without its own
end, in the direct realization of
the truth.
If this dreadful source of evil
known as lazyness is not found on
earth, who will ever be illiterate

and poor? It is because lazyness is

found on earth that people live
the life of animals, miserable and
poverty-stricken.
The present is infinitely more
potent than the past. They indeed
are fools who are satisfied with
the fruits of their past efforts
(which they regard as divine will)
and do not angage themselves in
self-effort now.
Wise man should ofcource know

what is capable of attainment by

self-effort and what is not.
One should free oneself from likes
and dislikes and engage oneself in
righteous self-effort and reach the
supreme truth knowing that selfeffort alone is another name for
divine will.
That alone is self-effort which
springs from right understanding
that manifests in one's heart
which has been exposed to the

teachings of the scriptures and

the conduct of holy ones.
O Rama, one should, with a body
free from illness and mind free
from

distress,

pursue

self-

knowledge so that he is not born

again here.
Such self-effort has a three fold
root and three fold fruit: an inner
awakening in the intelligence, a
decision in the mind and the
physical action.

Self-effort is based on these

three: knowledge of scriptures,
instructions

of

preceptor

and

one's own effort. Fate does not

enter here. Hence he who desires
salvation should divert the impure
mind

to

pure

endeavour

by

persistent effort - this is the very

essence of all scriptures.
Rama, the tendencies brought
forward from past incarnations
are of two kinds - pure and

impure. The pure ones lead you

towards

liberation,

and

the

impure ones invite trouble.

You are indeed Consciousness
itself, not inert physical matter.
You are not impelled to action by
anything

other

than

yourself.

Hence you are free to strengthen

the pure latent tendencies in
preference to the impure ones.
The

holy

ones

emphasize:

persistently tread the path that

leads to the eternal good.

Four gate-keepers
If the four sentinels that wait at
the gates of Moksha (salvation)
viz., Shanti (sweet patience or
quiescence
(Atmic

of

mind),

enquiry),

Vichara
Santosha

(contentment of mind) and SadhuSanga (association with the wise)

be befriended, then will there be
any obstacle to the attainment of
salvation? (No).

When the mind is at peace, pure,

tranquil, free from delusion or
hallucination, untangled and free
from cravings, it does not long for
anything

nor

does

it

reject

anything. This is self-control or

conquest of mind.
All that is good and auspicious
flows from self-control. All evil is
dispelled by self-control.
No gain, no pleasure in this world
or in heaven is comparable to the

delight of self-control.
The delight one experiences in the
presence of the self-controlled is
incomparable.

Everyone

spontaneously trusts him. None

(not even demons and goblins)
hates him.
Self-control, O Rama, is the best
remedy for all physical and mental
ills. When there is selfcontrol,
even the food you eat tastes
better, else it tastes bitter.

He who wears the armour of selfcontrol is not harmed by sorrow.

He

who

even

while

hearing,

touching, seeing, smelling and

tasting

what

pleasant

is

and

regarded

as

unpleasant,

is

neither elated nor depressed he

is self-controlled.
He who looks upon all beings with
equal

vision,

having

brought

under control the sensations of

pleasure

and

pain,

is

self-

controlled.
He who though living amongst all
is unaffected by them, neither
feels elated nor hates, even as one
is during sleep he is selfcontrolled.
Inquiry (the second gate-keeper to
liberation) should be undertaken
by an intelligence that has been
purified by a close study of the
scripture, and this inquiry should

be unbroken.
By such inquiry the intelligence
becomes keen and is able to
realize the supreme; hence inquiry
alone is the best remedy for the
long-lasting

illness

known

as

samsara (repeated births).

The wise man regards strength,
intellect, efficiency and timely
action as the fruits of inquiry.
Indeed

kingdom,

enjoyment,

as

well

prosperity,
as

final

liberation, are all the fruits of

inquiry.

The

spirit

of

inquiry

protects one from the calamities

that befall the unthinking fool.
It is the absence of inquiry that
gives rise to actions that are
harmful to oneself and to others,
and to numerous psychosomatic
illnesses. Therefore, one should
avoid

the

company

of

such

unthinking people.
They in whom the spirit of inquiry

is ever awake illumine the world,

enlighten

all

who

come

into

contact with them, dispel the

ghosts created by an ignorant
mind, and realize the falsity of
sense-pleasures and their objects.
O Rama, in the light of inquiry
there is realization of the eternal
and unchanging reality; this is the
supreme. With it one does not
long for any other gain nor does
one spurn anything. He is free
from delusion, attachment; he is

not inactive nor does he get

drowned in action; he lives and
functions in this world and at the
end of a natural life-span he
reaches the blissful state of total
freedom.
The eye of spiritual inquiry does
not lose its sight even in the midst
of all activities; he who does not
have this eye is indeed to be
pitied.
It is better to be born as a frog in

the mud, a worm in dung, a snake

in a hole, but not be one without
this eye.
What is inquiry? To inquire thus:
Who am I? How has this evil of
samsara (repetitive history) come
into

being?

is

true

inquiry.

Knowledge of truth arises from

such inquiry; from such knowledge
there

follows

tranquility

in

oneself; and then there arises the

supreme peace in the Self and the
ending of all sorrow.

Contentment is another gatekeeper to liberation. He who has

quaffed

the

contentment

nectar

does

of

not

relish

craving for sense-pleasures; no

delight in this world is as sweet as
contentment which destroys all
sins.
What

is

contentment?

To

renounce all craving for what is

not obtained unsought and to be
satisfied

with

what

comes

unsought, without being elated or

depressed even by them this is
contentment.
As long as one is not satisfied in
the self, he will be subjected to
sorrow.

With

the

rise

of

contentment the purity of ones

heart blooms. The contented man
who possesses nothing owns the
world.
Satsanga (company of wise, holy
and enlightened persons) is yet

another gatekeeper to liberation.

Satsanga

enlarges

intelligence,

destroys

ones
ones

ignorance and ones psychological

distress. Whatever be the cost,
however

difficult

it

may

be,

whatever obstacles may stand in

its way, satsanga should never be
neglected. For, satsanga alone is
ones light on the path of life.
Satsanga is indeed superior to all
other forms of religious practices

like charity, austerity, pilgrimages

and the performance of religious
rites.
One should by every means in
one's power adore and serve the
holy men who have realized the
truth and in whose heart the
darkness of ignorance has been
dispelled. They who, on the other
hand,

treat

such

holy

men

disrespectfully, surely invite great

suffering.

These

four

contentment,

satsanga, the spirit of inquiry, and

self-control - are the four surest
means by which they who are
drowning in this ocean of samsara
can be saved.
Contentment is the supreme gain.
Satsanga is the best companion to
the destination. The spirit of
inquiry
wisdom.

itself
And,

is

the

greatest

self-control

supreme happiness.

is

If you are unable to resort to all

these four, then practice one: by
the diligent practice of one of
these, the others will also be
found in you. The highest wisdom
will seek you of its own accord.
Until you tame the wild elephant
of your mind with the help of
these noble qualities, you cannot
have

progress

towards

the

supreme, even if you become a

god, demi-god or a tree.
When the mind is at peace and the

heart leaps to the supreme truth,

when

all

the

disturbing

thoughtwaves in the mind-stuff

have

subsided

and

there

is

unbroken flow of peace and the

heart is filled with the bliss of the
absolute, when thus the truth has
been seen in the heart, then this
very world becomes an abode of
bliss.
In order to cross this formidable
ocean of samsara one should
resort to that which is eternal and

unchanging.
The eternal is not attained by rites
and rituals, by pilgrimages nor by
wealth; it is to be attained only by
the conquest of one's mind, by
cultivation of wisdom.
Study of this scripture should
continue till the truth is realized;
one should not stop short of
complete enlightenment.
Even as movement is inherent in

air,

manifestation

(as

subtle

perceiving mind and as the gross

objects it perceives) is inherent in
this experiencing inetelligence.
The object is experienced only in
the subject, not elsewhere!
As

long

as

one

invests

the

perceived object with reality that

bondage lasts; once that notion
goes, with it goes bondage.
During

cosmic

dissolution

entire

objective

creation

the
is

resolved into the infinite being

which is variously designated as
Atma, Brahman, Truth etc.
The infinte Self conceives within
itself the duality of oneself and
the other. Thence mind arises, as a
wave arises when the surface of
the calm ocean is disturbed.
The mind is non different from
infinite Self.

Utpatti Prakaranam
The creator's thought being the
cause of this manifold creation
and the creator himself having no
physical body, the creation, too, is
truly of the nature of thought,
without materiality.
The creator is spiritual; and even
so, his creation, too, is in reality
spiritual in essence.
When notion of object is firmly

rejected and removed from the

subject, then Consciousness alone
exists without even an apparent
or potential objectivity. When this
is realized, evils like attraction and
repulsion, love and hate, cease in
one's heart, as also the false
notions of the world, you, I etc.
Even the tendency to objectify
ceases; this is freedom.
In reality neither the objective
universe, nor the perceiving self,
nor perception as such, not void,

nor inertness exists; only one is cosmic Consciousness(Chit). In this

it is the mind that conjures up the
diversity,

diverse

experiences,

the

action
notion

and
of

bondage and desire for liberation.

There is only one remedy for
ignorance of the lord - the firm
and

decisive

renunciation

of

craving for sense pleasure.

Sentient

is

the

universe

and

sentient is the soul. The sentient

creates the knowable and gets

involved in sorrow. When there is
session of the knowable, and the
flow of attention is towards that
which is not knowable - pure
Consciousness - then there is
fulfilment and one goes beyong
sorrow.
The Lord can be realized only if
one is firmly established in the
unreality of the universe even as
the blueness of the sky is unreal.
Only when the creation is known

to be utterly non-existent the

Lord is realized.
The wrong notion that this world
is real has become deep rooted on
account of persist wrong thinking.
However it can be removed that
very day on which you resort to
the company of holy men and to
the study of holy scripture.
When the wrong notion dispelled
and truth realized, the realization
so thoroughly saturates one, that

one thinks of it, speaks of it,

rejoices in it and teaches it to
others.
Water in mirage does not come
into

being

and

go

out

of

existence; even so this world does

not come out of the absolute nor
does it go anywhere.
Cosmic Consciousness exists even
now and ever; in it are no worlds,
no

created

beings.

That

Consciousness reflected in itself

appears to be creation.
By

the

perceived

apprehension
or

the

of

the

knowable,

Consciousness becomes Jiva and

is apparently involved in samsara.
When the false notion of a
knowable apart from the knower
ceases, it regains its equilibrium.
Just as the world and its creation
are mere appearances, a moment
and an epoch are also imaginary,
not real.

By persistent practice (abhyasa)

egoism is quitened. Then you will
naturally

rest

in

your

Consciousness; and the perceived

universe

heads

towards

the

vanishing point.
Thinking of that alone, speaking
of that, conversing of that with
one another, utter dedication to
that one alone - this is called
abhyasa or practice by the wise.

When one's intellect is filled with

beauty and bliss, when one's
vision is broad, when passion for
sensual enjoyment is absent in
one - that is practice.
When one is firmly established in
the conviction that this universe
has never ever been created, and
therefore it does not exist as such,
and when thoughts like "this is
world, this I am" do not arise at all
in one - this is abhyasa or practice.
It is then that attraction and

repulsion
overcoming

do
of

not

arise;

the

attraction

and

repulsion by the use of willforce is

austerity, not wisdom.
To the enlightened person there is
only one infinite Consciousness,
and there is no notion of 'I am' or
'these are'.
This universe is but a long dream.
The ego sense and also the fancy
there there are others, are as real
as dream objects. The sole reality

is infinite Consciousness, which is

omnipresent,

pure,

tranquil,

omnipotent and whose very body

and

being

Consciousness.

is

Wherever

Consciousness
whatever
Because

manifests

manner,
the

absolute

it

this
in

is

that.

substratum

(the

infinite Consciousness) is real, all

that is based on it acquires reality,
though the reality is of the
substratum alone.
You may consider it the fruit of

your austerity or worship of the

deity; but it is Consciousness
alone that bestows the fruits upon
you.
When

the

intelligence

is

established in the conviction of its

ethereal

nature

the

body

is

forgotten, even as in youth one

forgets life as a foetus.
In the infinite Consciousness there
is an inherent non-recognition of
its infinite nature; that appears to

manifest as 'I' and 'the world'. No

creation takes place in supreme
being

or

the

infinite

Consciousness; and the infinite

Consciousness is not involved in
the creation. They do not stand in
divided relasionship to each other.
Nothing has ever been created
anywhere at any time; and nothing
comes to an end either. The
absolute

Brahman

supreme

peace,

is

all,

unborn,

the
pure

Consciousness and permanent.

As and when one turns away from

the notions of 'I' and 'world', one
is liberated. The notion of 'I am
this' is the sole bondage here.
They

who

know

infinite

Consciousness as the nameless,

formless

substratum

universe,

gain

of

victory

the
over

samsara.
There does exist, O Rama, the
power

or

energy

of

infinite

Consciousness, which is in motion

all the time; that alone is the

reality of all inevitable futuristic
events, for it penetrates all the
epochs in time. It is by that power
that the nature of every object in
universe is ordained. That power chit shakti - is also known as
Mahasatta (the great existence),
Mahachiti (the great intelligence),
Mahashakti (the great power),
Mahadrishti(the

great

vision),

Mahakriya (the great doer or

doing),

Mahobhava

becoming),

(the

great

Mahaspanda

(the

great vibration). It is this power

that endows everything with its
characteristic quality. But this
power is not different from or
independent

of

the

absolute

Brahman; it is as real as the pie in

the sky. Sages make a verbal
distinction between Brahman and
the

power,

and

declare

that

creation is the work of that power.

If one remains idle depending
upon niyati to do everything for
him, he soon discovers that his life

departs - for life is action. He can

by

entering

into

highest

superconscious state, stop the

breath and attain liberation; but
then that is indeed the greatest
effort!
When one is firmly established in
the

firmness

Consciousness,

of

the

whether

infinte
he

is

quite or actively engaged in work,

then he is considered to be at
peace with himself.

To rid oneself of the disease of

this samsara or world-appearance,
there is no remedy other than
wisdom or self-knowledge. When
there is such knowledge then
there is no craving in the mind for
sense pleasure which aggravates
the ignorance. Hence if there is
craving, do not fulfil it, what
difficulty is there in this?
The

world-appearance

is

the

waking state of consciousness;

egoism is the dreaming state; the

mind-stuff is the deep sleep state;

and pure Consciousness is the
fourth state or uncontradicted
truth. Beyong even this fourth
state there is absolute purity of
Consciousness.

One

who

is

established in it goes beyond

sorrow.
The world-appearance is said to
have the absolute Brahman as its
cause, in just the same way as
space is the cause of the growth
of a tree. In fact Brahman is not an

active causative factor; and this is

revealed by enquiry. Even as one
digging the solid earth finds
empty space as continues to dig,
when the enquiry is continued you
will find the truth that all this is
none

other

than

the

infinite

person's

violent

Consciousness.
The

selfish

efforts to gain his selfish ends

often lead to other results, even
as a person is unable to see his
face when he runs to the mirror

puffing and panting - his own

breath mists the mirror.
Surely, direct enquiry into all the
movements of thought in one's
own consciousness is the supreme
Guru or preceptor, O Rama, and no
one else.
Even selfish ends are gained by
the wise by appropriate means
and

appropriate

behaviour

or

action, after they give up anger

and mental agitation, and resort

to equanimity and clear mind.

Give up anger, and achieve your
end by resorting to tranquility.
Such

indeed

is

appropriate

conduct - whether one is able to

achieve one's ambition or not, one
should remain peaceful.
The

seer

himself

remaining

unseen, sees himself; and the seer

does not ever become and object
of consciousness. The seer is the
sight only, and when the latent

phychic impressions have ceased,

the seer regains its pure being;
when

the

external

object

is

imagined, a seer has been created.

If there is no subject there is no

object either; without the father
there is no son. It is the subject
that becomes the object. There is
no object without the subject.
Again, the subject is subject only
in relation to the object; even as it
is the son that makes a man

'father'.
However, because subject is pure
Consciousness,

he

is

able

to

conjure up the object. This cannot

be the other way around; the
object does not give birth to the
subject. Therefore the seer alone
is

real,

the

object

being

hallucination; gold alone is real,

'bracelet' is a name and a form.
As long as the notion of bracelet
lasts

the

pure

gold

is

not

apprehended; as long as the

notion of object persists, the
division between seer and seen
also persists. But, just as because
of

the

consciousness

bracelet,

gold

goldness,

the

in

the

realizes

its

subject

(seer)

manifesting as object the object

(seen) realizes subjectivity. One is
the reflection of the other; there
is real duality.
The subject exists because of the
object, and the object is nothing

but a reflection of the subject;

duality cannot be if there is not
one, and where is the need for the
notion of unity if one alone exists?
When thus real knowledge is
gained by means of right enquiry
and

understanding,

only

that

remains which is not expressible

in words.
Division is not a contradiction of
unity!
One who enjoys the company of

enlightened men does not suffer

in this world, even as one who
holds a candle in his hand does not
see darkness anywhere.
O Rama, by merely listening to my
words you will be enlightened,
there is no doubt in this. Know
that the universe has arisen from
Brahman and it is Brahman alone.
In the scriptures words such as cause and effect, the Self and the
Lord,

difference

difference,

and

non-

knowledge

and

ignorance, pain and pleasure - all

these pairs have been invented for
the instruction of the ignorant.
They are not real in themselves.
As long as words are used to
denote truth, duality is inevitable;
however, such duality is not the
truth. All divisions are illusory.
It is the mind alone that appears
as ceaseless and endless creative
activity, which, on account of
nescience,

deludes

one

into

thinking that it is real or that it is

unreal.
Wise men do not desire to do
anything; and wise men do not
desire to abandon action either.
The mind alone is the creator of
the world; and mind alone is the
supreme person. What is done by
the mind is action, what is done by
the body is not action.
In

the

mind,

the

subject

is

believed to be sentient and the

object is said to be inert. Thus

caught in delusion jiva hangs
around. In truth, this duality itself
is creation of the mind, and
hallucination.

Of

course,

we

cannot determine with certainty

that such an hallucination exists,
either. The infinite Consciousness
alone IS.
O Rama, whatever might habe
been the origin of the mind and
whatever it might be, one should
constantly

direct

it

towards

liberation through self-effort.

O Rama, this world is nothing
more than an idea; all the objects
of consciousness in this world are
just an idea; reject the error (dirt)
of ideation and be free of ideas;
remain rooted in truth and attain
peace.
Enquite into the nature of truth.
Abandon falsehood. You are ever
free; why do you call yourself
bound and then grieve? The Self is

infinite; why, how and by whom is

it bound?
Victory over this globlin known as
mind is gained when one with
one's own self-effort, one attaines
self-knowledge and abandons the
cravings for what the mind desires
as pleasure.
You are not the doer of the action
here, O Rama; so, why do you
assume doership? When one alone
exists, who does what and how?

Do not become inactive either; for

what is gained by doing nothing?
What has to be done has to be
done. Therefore rest in the Self.
Even while doing all the actions
natural

to

you,

if

you

are

unattached to those actions you

are truly the non-doer; if you are
doing nothing and are attached to
that non-doership you become the
doer!
When all this world is like the

juggler's trick, what is to be given

up and what is to be sought?
O

Rama,

even

as

darkness

disappears as you turn towards

light, ignorance disappears if you
turn towards the light of the Self.
The firm conviction that 'I am not
the absolute Brahman' binds the
mind; and the mind is liberated by
the

firm

conviction

that

'everything is absolute brahman'

Ideas and thoughts are bondage;

and their coming to an end is
liberation.
That

which

was

not

in

the

beginning does not exist even

now!

That

which

was

and

therefore is now, is the absolute

Brahman - contemplation of this
bestows peace, for that Brahman
is peace.
Is it not a great wonder, O Rama,
that people forget the truth that

the absolute Brahman alone is,

and are convinced of the existence
of

the

unreal

non-existent

ignorance?
O

Rama,

give

conditioning

up

which

mental
alone

is

responsible for the perception of

duality

and

unconditioned.

remain
Then

you

fully
will

attain incomparable pre-eminence

over all!
To remain established in self-

knowledge is liberation; when this

is disturbed there arises egoism
and bondage. The state of selfknowledge is that in which there is
no

mental

agitation,

neither

distraction nor dullness of mind,

neither egoism nor perception of
diversity.
It is not correct to say that there is
a mixture in this universe of the
sentient and the inert, for they do
not mix. All things are full of
Consciousness

and

when

this

Consciousness apprehends itself

there is knowledge.